Tag fastener



Feb. 26, 1935. 5 wE 1,992,337

TAG FASTENER Filed Sept. 21, 1934 INVENTOR. Samuel W-eiss BY 54M iBxnyam'l/imn ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 26, 1935 UNITED-"STATES PATENT OFFICE,

2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in tag fasteners and it consists in the novel features which are hereinafter described.

One of the objects of my invention is to produce a perfected two prong tag fastener which is provided with a combined lateral guide and stop on one of its prongs, whereby to keep the other prong in correct alignment and to limit the deflection of said other prong in a direction to close the fastener.

Another object of my invention is to provide on one of the prongs of my tag fastener a means for limiting the deflection of the other prong in a direction to open the fastener.

A further object of my invention is to have said limiting and guide means constructed in a way to permit the desired separation of the two prongs from each other at a given point and the deflection at said point of each prong with relation to the other in a direction transversely to the plane of the fastener, whereby tags may be readily connected to and disconnected from said fastener at any desired time, thereby permitting the change of tags on and the addition of tags to the fastener, if desired.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

I attain these objects by the tag fastener, two forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, or by any mechanical equivalent or obvious modification of the same.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of my tag fastener showing a part of .a tag thereon; and Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of another form of my tag fastener; and Fig. 4 is an edge view of the same, looking from right to left in Fig. 3.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views:

In the form of my tag fastener, which is shown in Fig. 1, the prongs 21 and 22 are initially stressed and have thereon inclined portions 23 and 24 respectively and outer portions 21a and 22a which terminate in engaging members 25 and 26 respectively.

The portion 23 has thereon integral therewith a pair of lateral guides and stops 2728 and 27a--28a. The guides 27 and 27a serve to prevent undue lateral deflection of the portion 24; the stop 28 serves to limit the deflection of the prong 22 with the portion 24 thereon in a direction to open the fastener; and the stop 28a serves to limit the deflection of the prong 22 with the portion 24 thereon in a direction to close the fastener, thereby preventing the engaging members '25 and 26 from sliding past each other at their ends under the influence of the resilience of the prongs 21 and 22. 5

An opening 30 is left between the guides 27 and 27a, wherethrough the portion 24 with the prong 22 may be deflected in a direction which is forward in the drawing and transversely to the plane of the fastener, and a tag 10 may then be connected thereto and placed at the base of the fastener as at 29; similarly a tag may be removed from the fastener after deflecting the prong 22 with the portion 24 thereon through said opening 30.

In the form of my tag fastener, which is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the prongs 31 and 32 are initially stressed and have thereon inclined portions 33 and 34 which cross each other and terminate in engagement members 35 and 36 respectively.

The portion 33 is provided with a lateral guide and stop 37-38; the guide 3'7 serves to limit the lateral deflection of the portion 34 and the stop 38 serves to limit the deflection of the prong 32 and the portion 34 thereon in the plane of the fastener in a direction to close thefastener, thereby preventing the engagement members 35 and 36 from unduly sliding past each other at their ends.

An opening 40 is provided at one end of the guide 37, wherethrough to remove. the portion 34 and whereby to permit the deflection of the prong 32 transversely to the plane of the fastener for the purpose of connecting a tag to the fastener or disconnecting it therefrom. 35

The portion 34 of the prong 32 is provided with a lateral guide and stop 37a38w; the guide 37a serves to limit the lateral deflection of the portion 33; and the stop 38a when correctly positioned serves to intercept the guide 37, thereby 4O limiting the deflection of the prong 31 with the portion 33 thereon in the plane of the fastener and in the direction of opening the latter.

An opening 40a is provided in the guide 370. wherethrough to remove the portion 33 therefrom and whereby to permit the deflection of the prong 31 transversely to the plane of the fastener for the purpose of connecting a tag thereto or dis connecting it therefrom.

By the above means tags may be connected to fasteners after the latter are finished if desired and there is no need of passi ta through punching presses or machines employed for making the fasteners; tags may also readily be changed and added to other tags while the fasteners are in service.

Variations are possible in the details of my tag fasteners without departing from the main scope of my invention and parts of my invention may be used without other parts.

I do not, therefore, restrict myself to the details as shown in the drawing; but I intend to include also all mechanical equivalents and obvious modifications of the same within the scope of my invention. V

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent: V

1. A tag fastener having thereon two prongs, which are disposed to cross each other, a pair of supplementary to each other combined guides and stops on the prongs of said fastener, said guides serving to limit the deflection of said prongs with relation to each other in a direction transversely to the plane of the fastener, one of said stops serving to limit the relative deflection of the prongs in the plane of thefasten'er in a direction to open the fastener, the other of said stops serving to limit the relative deflection of the prongs in the plane of the fastener in a direction to close the fastener, and said guides being provided with an opening therein, to permit the removal of one of the prongs therethrough, whereby the fastener may have a tag connected thereto or disconnected therefrom.

2. A tag fastener having thereon two prongs, which are disposed to cross each other, a pair of combined lateral guides and stops on one of said prongs, said guides serving to limit the deflection of the other prong transversely'to the plane of the fastener, one of said stops being disposed to limit the deflection of the other prong in the direction of closing the fastener, the other of said stops being disposed to limit the deflection of the other prong in the direction to open the fastener, and an opening being provided between said guides for the removal of the said other prong therefrom, whereby the fastener may have'a tag 20 connected thereto or disconnected therefrom.

SAMUEL wmss. 

